Monday, April 28, 2008

The Maid Comes on Mondays

Yes, today is "maid" day. I really like this one. She's been coming for quite some time now. She's not one of those "chatty Kathy" types; just does the work. Sings occasionally, but I like music. She keeps talking about retiring and every time she does, I think, "Oh my God, what WILL I do if she quits?" The house will be a wreck and I'll be cranky. Probably more than cranky. Probably just downright ILL. I just can not get along without her. How can I entice her to stay?

Okay, so the damn maid is me. And I've been maiding now for what seems like a small eternity..... not a big one, just a small one. Today as I was cleaning the commode for the fifty-eleventh time in my life, a thought popped up uninvited: some people DO STUFF....some people clean toilets. Now, I'll be the first one to admit that I like a decently clean house. At least one that visitors can't pick up any zootic diseases from while they're there. But there just has to be something in life other than a clean bathroom.

I do want to retire from domestic management. After 30 some odd years, I think I'm due a gold watch (and lots of other things besides). But since the job is ongoing and there doesn't seem to be anyone else standing in line to do it, I guess full retirement is out of the question. So, I'm now giving myself permission to go part-time. If things aren't as clean or as neat or as organized or as whatever it is I've always thought they should be, who cares? Not me..... I'm moving on to some other activities. Hmmmm. Let me see now. What exactly would those be? I'll think on it while I vacuum.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Spring Has Not Sprung

I hate to resort to talking about the weather of all things, but geez.....it's damn cold outside! And it's raining and gray and the wind's blowing like crazy and it actually HAILED on me at lunchtime.

This is not my spring time of choice, I can tell you. I have things to DO, mostly of the outside variety. Emptying pots for new plants; cleaning out flower beds; putting down fresh mulch; pruning shrubs. All this really makes me sound like an avid gardner, doesn't it? WRONG WRONG WRONG. I'm not. My thumb's not black, but it definitely runs.... ummm.... beige-to-brown in most cases. But, I love the way everything looks after all the work is done. Green and fresh and growing. I just wish that winning lottery ticket would materialize so I could get somebody else to do the actual work/maintenance part of the equation. I'm much better at the admiring part. Oh, and the directing part, as in "could you put in some roses over here" and "those limbs need to be cut right there".

Ah well. I understand from the weather folks (whose guesses are about as good as mine) it's supposed to warm up by the weekend. Yard work can start in earnest. And by the following week, I should be in traction as I struggle valiantly to get it all done. In springtime, my thoughts don't turn to thoughts of love as much as to thoughts of aspirin and massage.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

And The Speedometer Turns

Ah yes. This Tin Lizzie has one more mile on her. Double nickles have now turned to 56 as of today. Baby Sister and Little Mama took me to lunch where I threw out all thoughts of calories and ate my fill. Baby Sister presented me with a perfect birthday gift (besides lunch, that is): one of her very own original paintings of a wonderfully whimsical dragonfly.

Now there is a story behind this dragonfly. At the beginning of the year, I gifted both of us with sterling silver dragonfly charms to mark this year as a "transforming" one for us. Dragonflies are identified with transformation and illusion. This is to be the year of "different", "new" and all those other words that mean different and new. And so far it has been. We're both doing "new and different" things.

Turning 56 is certainly different, if not exactly "new". Somehow it's not quite the thrill that turning 50 was though. 50 was actually pretty magical.... a half century....whew! Maybe I just felt better then. Or something. Because while I don't feel "old" today, I don't feel very "young" either. Oh.....yeah.....I guess that's called MIDDLE AGE, huh? But I'm ready to continue my 2008 transformation, dragonfly style. I just wonder what me will appear next?